1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an accessory for a hose, or flexible conduit in which an end of the hose is to be connected with a supplementary fitting. More particularly, this invention pertains to couplings or other accessories for a garden hose and the like in which the end of the hose is to be connected with another end of the hose or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art has seen the development of a wide variety of hose couplings or other accessories for use with a conduit in which one end of the hose is to be connected with a supplementary fitting. Typical of these U.S. patents and the technology they disclose of the following U.S. Pat. No. 145,731 discloses a hose coupling with slotted, threaded sleeve that is compressed around the end of the hose by means of a tapered nut that is screwed over the compressible sleeve. U.S. Pat. No. 157,840 has a rim B drawn toward a sleeve C with a hose end therebetween when the tube section A is screwed into B. It has a male-female coupling. U.S. Pat. No. 735,401 discloses a hose coupling with a center lock piece and gripper arrangement for holding the hose between two annular pieces. It employs male-female sections a hollow plug with a threaded head and tapering stem, gasket and hose ends received between the tapering stem and annular piece. U.S. Pat. No. 1,186,722 discloses a hose coupling have a tubular core adapted to receive a wrench in the collar and opposite ends threaded right and left hand threads, loose fitting cups with tapered flanges and expansion nuts operable to expand and clamp the tubing responsive to rotation of the collar and core. U.S. Pat. No. 1,509,484 describes a coupling for lead pipe in which a frusto conical section is pulled onto a centerpiece by way of male-female relationships. U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,410 describes a compression joint coupling for pipes comprising a stiffener that is inserted into the bore of the pipe, a radial flange and incline with means for tightening so as to compress radially and grip the pipe in the annular space.
None of the prior art, as can be seen from the illustrative patents, have solved the problem of providing an economical fitting in which an end of the hose can be squared off and inserted into the coupling half, with another half of a coupling or another fitting on the other end and tightened in place by an economical apparatus. In particular, none of the prior art has been totally satisfactory in solving the problems of having pieces of apparatus that can be cast or molded in economical molding operations and readily freed from the molds without requiring collapsible inserts for tubular pieces and the like; that can be readily snapped into place to facilitate assembly; and yet be operable by hand to effect the desired interconnection of the end of the hose with the fitting.